Business
EU calls for ‘time horizon’ on Sri Lanka import ban
by Sanath Nanayakkare
Sri Lanka should give a ‘horizon’ to its businesses and potential investors as to until when the import ban will be in place, Denis Chaibi, ambassador/ Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and Maldives said at the official launch of the Sri Lanka Trade Information Portal (SLTIP), held at Shangri La Colombo recently.
The 4-year EU funded project worth EUR 8 million supports local SMEs’ export competitiveness in regional and EU markets as well as value addition in sectors with high potential for economic growth and development.
Excerpts from ambassador Chaibi’s speech:
“This project is a good indication of our overall relationship which is characterised by engagement, respect and results. This project sends three powerful messages. The first one is about the importance of the EU market to Sri Lanka and vice versa. The EU is the second export market for Sri Lanka just after the US”.
“If you take the EU’s trade figures with Sri Lanka in 2019 and if you add services and the EU tourists who came to the island – hopefully who will return soon – you can see the importance of the EU”.
“Further the return of GSP in 2017 was a significant development that led to more than a quarter’s increase of exports from Sri Lanka to the EU. It’s not only the biggest market in terms of quantity. But it’s also an important market in terms of quality”.
“I have been in Sri Lanka a bit more than a year and the thing that strikes me every day is the quality of Sri Lankan products. If you compare the cinnamon, it’s the best in the world. Sri Lankan coconut is the best in the world. Jack fruit is the best in the world. Tea is the best in the world. Who appreciates the best in the world products more than Europeans? Who has the refinement that Sri Lanka has which is only found in civilizations. The Europeans are ready to pay a premium for all these products. Perhaps the South Americans will pay a bit more for Sri Lankan cinnamon, but at the end of the day those who buy the most refined Sri Lankan products are mostly Europeans. We are not only a quantitative market but a qualitative market with a huge potential for the future. The best way for Sri Lanka is to increase its product-quality, and quality is where Europe will be there as a very happy customer.”
“But we are a very demanding market. We have a lot of barriers and those have to do with qualitative standards. In the future, I can imagine that Sri Lankans will want to sell directly to Europeans through online websites. When Sri Lanka exports to Europe, it is ready to export to anywhere else in the world because the European standards are high. We are a demanding market but we are happy to be a good market for Sri Lanka because Sri Lankan products are the best.”
“My second message is that markets and trade is not a one-way street. We have full consideration for the public finances situation in Sri Lanka We fully understand the measures that have been introduced to safeguard public finances and especially the foreign exchange reserves of Sri Lanka.”
“But we need three things. We need recognition notification in the horizon. We need recognition that there is an import ban. And sometimes we are told that there is no import ban but just impediment for the banks to pay in foreign currencies, but these payments are linked to products, so we have to recognize that they are trade restrictions. And then on that recognition, we can quantify that to the WTO and work together in the international organisation that is precisely set up to deal with this kind of issues.”
“I think Sri Lanka would benefit tremendously from giving a horizon to its businesses and potential investors as to until when the measures will be in place so that people can prepare and also can invest in Sri Lanka.”
“That is important if we want to attract foreign direct investments to Sri Lanka. We need to have certainty and we need to be able to export [raw materials].Who would invest in Sri Lanka not knowing if he or she will be able to export because they know that the trade restrictions may attract some reaction. So, in order to attract foreign direct investments, we have to give a horizon on the trade restrictions. We say this in full respect of whatever the Sri Lankan government decides.”
“My third point is; if you look at this project of EU-Sri Lanka Trade Related Assistance, it is in full respect of the government’s priorities. We don’t have an agenda. We are not a military super power. We are a standards super power, and a lifestyle superpower. We live very well in Europe and we live very well for many reasons. But when it comes to aid and support what we do is follow the priorities of the government. Before we take policy decisions and priorities we always look at the manifesto. I was at the Sri Lanka National Day events and its manifesto specifically dealt with agriculture. Agriculture is the sector that we have favoured in our last budget cycle. So from 2014 to 2020, we have invested more than half of the EU aid in the development of rural Sri Lanka. We have spent almost EUR 100 million in that sector. This shows that we are following priorities of the government and that’s why we are supporting this project so that we in Europe can enjoy more of the best Sri Lankan products and Sri Lankan exporters can create more added value by collaborating with Europeans.”
Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence estimates that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona.
Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below one percent, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid.
Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices.
On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years.
“The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,” says Sergey Shcherbel, expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.
In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections.
The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. “RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,” explains Sergey Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%.
The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s prowess in comprehensive disclosure of sustainability-related information to stakeholders has won its 2023 Annual Report two top awards at the 2025 Sustainability Reporting Awards presented by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
The Bank was adjudged the overall runner-up and the winner in the Banking category at these awards, repeating the achievement of its 2022 Annual Report which was similarly honoured by the ACCA last year.
The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards recognise Annual Reports that clearly acknowledge and explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business to internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organisation’s policies, targets and long-term objectives towards the goal of sustainable development.
Commercial Bank’s 2023 Annual Report also won two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at CA Sri Lanka’s ‘TAGS’ Awards 2024, excelling in the key aspects recognised by the awards programme which is dedicated to Transparency, Accountability, Governance, and Sustainability – TAGS.
The Bank won the Gold for ‘Corporate Governance Disclosure’ in the Financial Services sector, the Gold for the Best Annual Report among the private sector banks, the Silver for ‘Digitally Transformative Reporting’ across all sectors, and the overall Bronze award for Excellence in Corporate Reporting.
Caterpillar equipment dealer UTE has delivered the country’s largest Cat D8 Track-Type Tractor to NEM Construction Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant milestone in heavy machinery. This delivery strengthens the long-standing partnership between UTE and NEM Construction, which spans over 45 years. The Cat D8 is expected to boost operational efficiency in large-scale projects. As the sole authorized dealer for Caterpillar in Sri Lanka, UTE continues to provide top-tier machinery and after-sales support. The handover is particularly notable as Caterpillar celebrates its 100th anniversary. NEM Construction’s Chairman, Raja Nanayakkara, praised the Cat D8’s superior performance and UTE’s unmatched service and parts support, which have been key to the company’s long-term collaboration. This purchase highlights the continued trust in both Caterpillar and UTE’s expertise in supporting Sri Lanka’s construction industry.
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